The expansive and accessible growth of online and mobile computing systems has created a complex network where users interact with one another based on the assumed credibility of a user-defined personal profile. The ability for users to create personal profiles without regulation has enabled the creation of fake identities. Online users create fake identities that enable them to betray unsuspecting individuals into providing personal attention or information. Without a means to verify the identity of the person with whom they are interacting, the unsuspecting users fall victim to shame and personal harm from the creators of the fraudulent profiles. The fraudulent profile creators deliver harm in many forms, including (but not limited to), catfishing, cyberbullying, sex trafficking, monetary or identify theft and other general crimes, violent or otherwise, in domestic, public or commercial settings. The deviant behavior is carried out after having influenced the victims to trust the credibility of a fraudulent profile and that the implied or communicated intentions of the fraudulent account creator were legitimate and pure, as relates to the content and presentation of the data contained within their fake personal profile. It may therefore be desired to implement a system or process for verifying the identity of online profile creators and users.
The rise of online interactions allows users to assume identities and communicate using those assumed identities. The inherent anonymity of the internet allows these users to sometimes use the likeness of others when creating their online identity or sometimes even assume the identity of unsuspecting individuals. The threats created range from personal privacy, theft, and even physical harm.
Children may be vulnerable to users pretending to be peers. Stalkers and dating site predators may assume false identities. Fake accounts assuming someone's identity may be used to spread private or false information in order to damage a person's reputation, mislead others, or bully an individual. Personal, private information may be shared without permission. Identity theft, cyber-bullying and countless other malicious actions are facilitated by the internet.
It therefore may be desirable to have a platform for verifying the identity of online accountholders.